Environmental Impacts of Water Withdrawal: Focus on Salmon

Janne Kaje, KC Regional Partnerships Unit & Snoqualmie Watershed Forum

Topics

• Salmon life cycle– Summer habitat utilization

• Water withdrawal effects on habitat– Habitat quantity & Water quality

• Surface water diversion effects on fish– Screening & Technologies

• “Instream Flow”– Basin closures, seasonal limitations

• Reducing impacts of your water use

Chinook Life Cycle

Freshwater Juvenile RearingSpecies Freshwater rearing

Chinook ~ 2-16 months

Coho ~ 12 months

Steelhead ~ 12-24 months

Rainbow troutCutthroat troutLamprey

Resident

Coho are most likely to be found in small tributaries during summer months.

Chinook and Steelhead are more likely to be found in larger tributaries or the mainstem river during summer months.

Stream Flow Pattern in King County

Irrigation Season

What’s a fish stream?

• Farm drainage ditch in Snoqualmie Valley

• 400

4,000+ fish recovered from 2,000 feet of “ditch”!

Habitat Quantity

• Juvenile salmon are territorial• Lower flow = – Fewer territories, more competition– Lower food production (aquatic and terrestrial

bugs)– Shallower , warmer pools

• Extreme case =– Fish get stranded in isolated, stagnant pools

Temp

Water Quality• Salmon are cold-water fish• Need cool, clear, well-oxygenated water• High temperature can be lethal

Less Water Oxygen

Return Flow Quality

• Irrigation return water impacts quality– Usually WARMER in summer– Suspended sediment input

• Clog gills and bury gravel substrate– Nutrient, chemical runoff

Nutrients Oxygen

Algae bloom

Pumps & Diversions

• Fish can get diverted into fields and stuck on intake screens.

• Fish protection is required by state law.– RCW 77.57.010. Fish guards required on diversion

devices — Penalties, remedies for failure.– RCW 77.57.070. Diversion of water — Screen,

bypass required.

• In waterways with Endangered Species Act listed fish, could be guilty of “take”.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/habitat/planning/screening/

Fish Protection Technology

• Many different devices– Depends on volume, water

source, stream gradient

http://www.farmerscreen.org/ http://intakescreensinc.com/

Fish Protection Technology

• Guidance documents and regulations– Screen mesh size– Water velocity– Other design factors

Water Rights for Fish

• “Instream Flows” have been set in many King County rivers and streams.– Most “Instream Resources Protection Programs”

established in 1970’s – 1980’s– Codified in WAC Title 173– Priority dates just like out-of-stream rights• Do not affect senior rights

• Many dams and hydroelectric facilities have instream flow requirements (e.g., minimum flow, ramping rates, pulse flows)

Types of Instream Flows

• Snohomish Basin (incl. Snoqualmie) example:– WAC 173-507– Semi-monthly minimum flow schedule in major

rivers. Multiple “control points”.– Complete closure to further appropriation in

several larger tributaries (e.g., Griffin, Harris, Patterson, Raging)

– Fixed low-flow limit in several small streams (e.g., Langlois, Tate and many unnamed streams).

Reduce Your (Water) Footprint!

• Maintain healthy soil – use less water.• Implement efficient irrigation systems.• Prevent stock washing water from flowing

directly to stream.• Maintain vegetated buffers on all water courses.• Reduce fertilizer and pesticide use. Use BMPs for

application.• Screen and properly maintain all pumps &

diversions.

Questions?